e-commerce

Behind the Scenes at Groupon’s Tech Headquarters as It Prepares to Report First Public Earnings

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on February 8 at 6:00 am PT

Groupon is slowly building out its technology prowess in Palo Alto, Calif., 2,000 miles away from its headquarters — one acquisition at a time.

Amazon Grew Twice as Fast as the Overall E-Commerce Market in Q4

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on February 7 at 8:27 am PT

Amazon’s growth of 35 percent in the fourth quarter ended up clocking in at more than twice the overall market’s growth, according to comScore, which released new data yesterday.

Yahoo Starts Making Wish List, as Asian Deal Huffs to Finish Line and Board Changes Readied

Kara Swisher in News on February 6 at 5:45 am PT

Here’s a big, honking update on the Silicon Valley Internet giant’s various machinations for you!

A Look at Walmart’s Plans for Making Commerce High-Tech (Video)

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on February 3 at 6:00 am PT

Walmart is typically associated with its everyday low prices, not with technology. But the mega-retailer is trying to change that by building a tech center just south of San Francisco.

News Byte

Amazon Starts Selling Sports Memorabilia; Babe Ruth Cards Only $35,000!

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on February 2 at 7:49 am PT

From a $4 Wayne Gretzky trading card to a $34,950 Babe Ruth autographed baseball, Amazon has started to offer more than two million items in a new Sports Collectibles Store launched today. The store’s emphasis will be on authenticity, with professionals vouching for the source and condition of products. The e-commerce giant was rumored to be setting foot into the sports category, but this doesn’t seem to be it. Possibly on Amazon, or through its Quidsi division, the retailer is also planning to get into outdoor-sports apparel and merchandise.

Amazon Sees No Reason to Slow Its Spending

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on February 1 at 3:40 am PT

Amazon defended its free-spending habits yesterday in a call with analysts, arguing that it continues to see new opportunities and will invest accordingly.

News Byte

An Online Marketplace for Everyday Household Items Snags $3.6 Million

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on January 31 at 9:00 am PT

Alice.com, an online marketplace for household goods ranging from diapers to dog food to toothpaste, has raised $3.6 million in funding. A bit like Amazon-owned Diapers.com, the Middleton, Wis.-based company allows big brands to use the platform to connect with consumers and offer coupons. The round, coming from a group of Spanish investors, closely follows Alice’s expansion to Europe through Alice.es. The company has raised $18.2 million to date.

Visa Places Bet on New Approach to Payments With Rare Investment in TrialPay

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on January 31 at 7:00 am PT

Visa, Greylock’s Reid Hoffman and others are pouring $40 million into TrialPay, which helps companies like Facebook, Gap and Fandango increase sales through the use of incentives.